The major point of MP's sermon last Sunday (I think) was "The goal of prayer is not bliss, but new creation."
I suppose I was startled because some of what he said seemed to contradict some of the things I have said on this blog recently. But perhaps not or not too much. But he said it in a way that startled me. This is a good thing.
My reaction has to do with a sort of corollary of this main point which is: God is not most glorified by our being happy or joyful. God is most glorified by what we do, by the life we are leading for him. I suppose I have been most interested in the joy (blessing) I get in God getting the glory out of my feeble efforts.
So prayer is not about blessing but about transformation. Transformation and new creation are two aspects of the same thing. MP used them interchangeably. I see it's true. I love that it is true. But to me it means expecting the new, the unknown. I don't like surprises much.
We'd like prayer to be about us. But it's not. It's about God.
Now what I struggle with is when God asks me to do something I do not want to do. I want to be excited and eager and hopeful. Even if I know I am not capable (see last week's sermon) I want to have hope that God will come through.
I am not sure MP meant all this. I am speaking of my reaction.
I totally agree that prayer is not about me in any way. It's about God doing what he wants. We pray in the name of God. We pray for the things God wants. If we are right with God we will have God's mind on things. We are partners.
Now obviously we will not have God's perfect mind. We will not see things perfectly whether by prejudice or wrong teaching or simply by our selfishness which gets in the way. We want to have God's mind but we don't attain it.
Jesus tells us we are his friends. He tells us all that God the Father tells him. What a wonderful, marvelous thing. But Jesus says we are his friends as we do what He tells us. But when we are off, we may miss some of God's revelation.
I think I am talking muddled. But I think I am getting there. Those who read may have to add their own understanding.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
"I don't like surprises much" -- that is akin to me not liking walking through the process much... waiting for this baby, case in point! I felt the main point of his sermon was to really wade more deeply into prayer, an encouragement of sorts... I can't promise I will always pray in line with wanting transformation, but I suppose that if we pray the way we are taught by Christ, submitting to God's will about the outcomes of our prayers, trusting him with what things look like or depending on him to help us with that... it may be the best I can do... but it is sure to end in transformation. Two sides of the same coin?
Post a Comment